Structure, Molecular Modeling, and Function of the Novel Potassium Channel Blocker Urotoxin Isolated from the Venom of the Australian Scorpion <i>Urodacus yaschenkoi</i>

Luna-Ramirez, Karen; Bartók, Ádám; Restano-Cassulini, Rita; Quintero-Hernández, Verónica; Coronas, Fredy I.V.; Christensen, Janni; Wright, Christine E.; Panyi, György; Possani, Lourival D.

doi:10.1124/mol.113.090183

Cited by 22 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…squama [4]; (e) sdc14589_g1_i1 with 47% identity with the precursor of a Toxin like protein 14 deduced from cDNA and a transcriptomic analysis of the venom gland of U. yaschenkoi [6,7]; and (f) sdc5116_g1_i1 with 42% identity with the precursor of the venom protein 7 deduced from cDNA cloned from Mesobuthus eupeus (with Uniprot accession number E4VP44). These results were consistent with those reported in the transcriptome analyses of two species of Scorpiops [3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56], and of U. yaschenkoi [6]. …”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 89%

“…We found 11 sequences showing identity with seven different potassium channel toxins (members of α- and κ- families). Ten sequences coding for six putative α-KTxs were found: (a) components sdc13860_g1_i2 and sdc14273_g1_i2 had hits with 39% and 48% identity, respectively, with the precursor of the potassium channel toxin αKTx 6.7 deduced from a cDNA cloned from the venom of Opistophthalmus carinatus [38]; (b) components sdc13860_g1_i1 and sdc10141_g1_i1 had hits with 42% and 46% identity, respectively, with the precursor of the potassium channel toxin αKTx 6.10 also deduced from a cDNA cloned from the venom of O. carinatus [38] (Figure 4 shows the alignment of the sequences with identity with members of the αKTx subfamily 6); (c) components sdc26193_g1_i1 and sdc13949_g1_i1 had hits with 60% and 70% identity, respectively, with the precursor of the Toxin LmKTx 8 deduced from a cDNA cloned from Lychas muronatus [39]; (d) components sdc9772_g1_i2 and sdc9772_g1_i1 had hits with 40% and 42% identity, respectively, with the precursor of a potassium channel toxin deduced from a cDNA cloned from U. yaschenkoi [40]; (e) component sdc14273_g1_i1 had hits with 44% identity with the precursor of the potassium channel toxin αKTx 12.5 deduced from the transcriptome analysis of the venom gland of L. mucronatus [32]; and (f) component sdc13973_g1_i2 had hits with 46% identity with the precursor of a potassium channel toxin named Tbah02745 deduced from the transcriptome analysis of the venom gland of Tityus bahiensis [41]. …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Venom Gland Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analyses of the Enigmatic Scorpion Superstitionia donensis (Scorpiones: Superstitioniidae), with Insights on the Evolution of Its Venom Components

Santibáñez‐López

Cid-Uribe

Batista

et al. 2016

Toxins

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Venom gland transcriptomic and proteomic analyses have improved our knowledge on the diversity of the heterogeneous components present in scorpion venoms. However, most of these studies have focused on species from the family Buthidae. To gain insights into the molecular diversity of the venom components of scorpions belonging to the family Superstitioniidae, one of the neglected scorpion families, we performed a transcriptomic and proteomic analyses for the species Superstitionia donensis. The total mRNA extracted from the venom glands of two specimens was subjected to massive sequencing by the Illumina protocol, and a total of 219,073 transcripts were generated. We annotated 135 transcripts putatively coding for peptides with identity to known venom components available from different protein databases. Fresh venom collected by electrostimulation was analyzed by LC-MS/MS allowing the identification of 26 distinct components with sequences matching counterparts from the transcriptomic analysis. In addition, the phylogenetic affinities of the found putative calcins, scorpines, La1-like peptides and potassium channel κ toxins were analyzed. The first three components are often reported as ubiquitous in the venom of different families of scorpions. Our results suggest that, at least calcins and scorpines, could be used as molecular markers in phylogenetic studies of scorpion venoms.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Venom Gland Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analyses of the Enigmatic Scorpion Superstitionia donensis (Scorpiones: Superstitioniidae), with Insights on the Evolution of Its Venom Components

Santibáñez‐López

Cid-Uribe

Batista

et al. 2016

Toxins

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“…Within these sequences, 13 are similar to α-KTx-6 subfamily that is characterized by having 4 disulfide bridges. In fact, a complete precursor of urotoxin, which was previously reported by our group [ 79 ], was among these 13 sequences described here. Additionally, four sequences similar to toxins of the α-KTx family containing 3 disulfide bridges were also found ( Fig 6 ).…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 59%

Whole Transcriptome of the Venom Gland from Urodacus yaschenkoi Scorpion

et al. 2015

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Australian scorpion venoms have been poorly studied, probably because they do not pose an evident threat to humans. In addition, the continent has other medically important venomous animals capable of causing serious health problems. Urodacus yaschenkoi belongs to the most widely distributed family of Australian scorpions (Urodacidae) and it is found all over the continent, making it a useful model system for studying venom composition and evolution. This communication reports the whole set of mRNA transcripts produced by the venom gland. U. yaschenkoi venom is as complex as its overseas counterparts. These transcripts certainly code for several components similar to known scorpion venom components, such as: alpha-KTxs, beta-KTxs, calcins, protease inhibitors, antimicrobial peptides, sodium-channel toxins, toxin-like peptides, allergens, La1-like, hyaluronidases, ribosomal proteins, proteasome components and proteins related to cellular processes. A comparison with the venom gland transcriptome of Centruroides noxius (Buthidae) showed that these two scorpions have similar components related to biological processes, although important differences occur among the venom toxins. In contrast, a comparison with sequences reported for Urodacus manicatus revealed that these two Urodacidae species possess the same subfamily of scorpion toxins. A comparison with sequences of an U. yaschenkoi cDNA library previously reported by our group showed that both techniques are reliable for the description of the venom components, but the whole transcriptome generated with Next Generation Sequencing platform provides sequences of all transcripts expressed. Several of which were identified in the proteome, but many more transcripts were identified including uncommon transcripts. The information reported here constitutes a reference for non-Buthidae scorpion venoms, providing a comprehensive view of genes that are involved in venom production. Further, this work identifies new putative bioactive compounds that could be used to seed research into new pharmacological compounds and increase our understanding of the function of different ion channels.

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“…Given that scorpions prey on insects, we attempted to broaden the use of scorpion AMPs by investigating their insecticidal activity against A. pisum. Several AMPs recently identified in the venom gland transcriptome of the scorpion Urodacus yaschenkoi (Birula) (UyCT1, UyCT3, UyCT5, Uy17, Uy192 and Uy234) have been produced as synthetic peptides and tested in vitro against human pathogenic bacteria [ 24 , 25 , 26 ]. Another AMP (Um4) was identified in the venom of the black rock scorpion Urodacus manicatus (Thorell) [ 27 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Orally Delivered Scorpion Antimicrobial Peptides Exhibit Activity against Pea Aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) and Its Bacterial Symbionts

Luna-Ramirez

Škaljac

Grotmann

et al. 2017

Toxins

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Aphids are severe agricultural pests that damage crops by feeding on phloem sap and vectoring plant pathogens. Chemical insecticides provide an important aphid control strategy, but alternative and sustainable control measures are required to avoid rapidly emerging resistance, environmental contamination, and the risk to humans and beneficial organisms. Aphids are dependent on bacterial symbionts, which enable them to survive on phloem sap lacking essential nutrients, as well as conferring environmental stress tolerance and resistance to parasites. The evolution of aphids has been accompanied by the loss of many immunity-related genes, such as those encoding antibacterial peptides, which are prevalent in other insects, probably because any harm to the bacterial symbionts would inevitably affect the aphids themselves. This suggests that antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) could replace or at least complement conventional insecticides for aphid control. We fed the pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum) with AMPs from the venom glands of scorpions. The AMPs reduced aphid survival, delayed their reproduction, displayed in vitro activity against aphid bacterial symbionts, and reduced the number of symbionts in vivo. Remarkably, we found that some of the scorpion AMPs compromised the aphid bacteriome, a specialized organ that harbours bacterial symbionts. Our data suggest that scorpion AMPs holds the potential to be developed as bio-insecticides, and are promising candidates for the engineering of aphid-resistant crops.

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Structure, Molecular Modeling, and Function of the Novel Potassium Channel Blocker Urotoxin Isolated from the Venom of the Australian Scorpion Urodacus yaschenkoi

Cited by 22 publications

References 49 publications

Venom Gland Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analyses of the Enigmatic Scorpion Superstitionia donensis (Scorpiones: Superstitioniidae), with Insights on the Evolution of Its Venom Components

Venom Gland Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analyses of the Enigmatic Scorpion Superstitionia donensis (Scorpiones: Superstitioniidae), with Insights on the Evolution of Its Venom Components

Whole Transcriptome of the Venom Gland from Urodacus yaschenkoi Scorpion

Orally Delivered Scorpion Antimicrobial Peptides Exhibit Activity against Pea Aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) and Its Bacterial Symbionts

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